First-Sit Coursework Assignment Brief Semester E 16 Autumn Term Module Code PM 303 Module Title Strategic Management Programme BSc (Honours) Level Level 6 Format Strategic Report (Individual) Assessment Weighing: 100% Word Limit Maximum 2,500 words ±10% Excluding Cover Page, Table of Contents, Bibliography and Appendices Any Special Requirements The Report should be submitted on the Student Portal along with a Turnitin Report. Deadline Date For Submission 06th of December 2016 By 2pm Learning Outcomes To Be Examined In This Assessment LO1: Critically examine the relationship and the need for compatibility between corporate strategic and functional management policies. LO2: Analyse the internal and external influences on corporate objectives and strategy. LO3: Demonstrate the need for flexibility in strategic management and the practical limits of quantifying corporate strategy. Percentage Of Marks Awarded For Module 50% of the total marks for the module Assessment Criteria Explanatory comments on the assessment criteria Maximum marks for each section Knowledge & Understanding of Subject • High level of knowledge and understanding of the given concepts and frameworks of strategic management evident in accurate analysis and identification of strategic capabilities and macro-environmental factors of the selected company • Shows an awareness of the ambiguities and limitations of knowledge evident in the evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the given strategic management frameworks • Substantial evidence of well-executed independent research evident through a bibliographical analysis, up-to-date information. • Relevant data and examples, all properly referenced. • Successful application of Harvard Referencing throughout • Consistent analysis and evaluation of sources 35 Cognitive & Intellectual Skills • Very high standard of critical analysis on future strategic choices of the company evident in consistency and logical line of reasoning in recommendations. Future strategic choices are justified clearly and logically. All the evidence provided within the report. • Clearly structured and logically developed content. • Excellent evaluation and synthesis of sources. 40 Graduate Skills for life and Employment indicated by • Excellent presentation skills evident in format and structure • Technology skills that contribute to effective execution of referencing, heading/subheading and table of contents • High ethical standards evident in excellent implementation of referencing and Turnitin score does not exceed the upper limit overall • Research, discovery, and information retrieval skills and a general capacity to use information evident in refined content from external sources through paraphrasing and summarising • Analytical skills evident in applying the given frameworks in a real life situation • The capacity for critical, conceptual and reflective thinking evident in arguments developed and recommendations • Decision-making in complex and unpredictable context evident in consistent and logically reasoned future strategy analysis of the company • Presentation skills • Employability Skills Self-Assessment Survey (Self-assessment/monitoring of the transferrable skills) 25 TOTAL 100% REPORT Assignment Brief With a three million-strong workforce, and year-on-year growth, the retail sector is a significant contributor to the UK economy. Between 2016 and 2020, the retail sector workforce is projected to grow by 54,800. In some parts of the world, the retail business is dominated by smaller family-run or regionally-targeted stores, but this market is increasingly being taken over by billion-dollar multinational conglomerates like Wal-Mart and Sears. And yet, as the leading retailing players are increasingly seeking for opportunities to expand their global presence and are investing heavily in driving internet retailing sales, numerous local British retail companies have been successfully competing with their global competitors in the UK Market such as Morrisons, Ocado and Card Factory. Scenario You have been hired by a local British retail company (Either Morrisons, Card Factory or Ocado) as a consultant in order to develop a market entry and business level strategy plan into the Chinese market. You are expected to write a report to summarize your research findings on the given tasks below. Tasks (100%) 1. Analyse and demonstrate an understanding of the external environment in the Chinese market: Opportunities, threats, industry competition, and competitor analysis. (25 marks) 2. Identify the firm's resources and determine the potential of the firm's capabilities and competencies in terms of a competitive advantage in the Chinese market. (15 marks) 3. Reframe the vision statement and the mission statement of the firm for the new strategic business unit in China. Critically evaluate if the firm can continue with the current vision and mission statements in the new market. (20 marks) 4. In the light of the analysis done in Task 1, 2 and 3, construct a SWOT analysis of the company and recommend a business-level international strategy for and market entry mode into the new market. (25 marks) 5. As a part of the assessment, all students should answer the Employability Skills Self-Assessment Survey (PM303-ES-E16) in Week 1 and 10. (5 marks) To access the survey (in Week 1): https://goo.gl/forms/jz4EFit6PiYd4tOC3 To access the survey (in Week 10): https://goo.gl/forms/6oQEnzbRn3mmia6k2 6. Referencing (Harvard) (10 marks) Assignment Guide 1. The external environment affects the competition actions and responses firms take to outperform competitors and earn above-average returns. The External Environment The Industry Environment Firms understand the external environment by acquiring information about competitors, customers, and other stakeholders to build their own base of knowledge and capabilities. On the basis of the new information, firms take actions, such as building new capabilities and core competencies as the basis for better serving their stakeholders' needs. 2. Resources, capabilities and core competencies are the foundation of competitive advantage. Resources are bundled to create organisational capabilities. In turn, capabilities are the source of firm's core competencies, which are the basis of establishing competitive advantage. Tangible Resources Tangible Resources Financial Resources • The firm's capacity to borrow • The firm's ability to generate funds through internal operations Organisational Resources • Formal reporting structure Physical Resources • The sophistication of a firm's plant and equipment and the attractiveness of its location • Distribution facilities • Product inventory Technological Resources • Availability of technology-related resources such as copyrights, patents, trademarks, and trade secrets Intangible Resources Intangible Resources Human Resources • Knowledge • Trust • Skills • Abilities to collaborate with others Innovation Resources • Ideas • Scientific capabilities • Capacity to innovate Reputational Resources • Brand name • Perceptions of product quality, durability and, reliability • Positive reputation with stakeholders such as suppliers and customers Components of and Internal Analysis 3. Vision is a picture of what the firm wants to be and, in broad terms, what it wants to ultimately achieve. A vision statement articulates the ideal description of an organisation and gives a shape to its intended future. A mission specifies the business or businesses in which the firm intends to compete and the customers it intends to serve. 4. An international strategy is a strategy through which the firm sells its goods and services outside its domestic market. Engaging in an international strategy has the potential to help a firm extend the life cycle of its products. Gaining access to needed and potentially scarce resources is another reason firms use an international strategy. The other factors influencing firms to pursue an international strategy can be given as: increased pressure to integrate operations on a global scale, increased global communications, the potential of large demand for goods and services from people in emerging markets such as China and India and so on. At business level, firms select from among the generic strategies of cost leadership, differentiation, focused cost leadership, focused differentiation and integrated cost leadership/differentiation. Five modes of entry into international markets are available to firms. Modes of Entry and their Characteristics Report Structure and Content Guide Report Section How To Approach To The Task Executive Summary • Executive Summaries are summaries provided for a reader who, most likely, does not have time to read the entire document. Therefore, the Executive Summary must be a separate, stand-alone section, sufficient in content to ensure that the reader can completely understand the contents of the longer document. • No longer than a half a page. • Should be delivered after the table of contents. • Executive summary has a bit of introduction in it but covers all other major features of the book • Executive summary is sharper and more precise than the introduction Introduction Introductions in reports have three main functions: • Making the purpose of the document clear • Explaining the scope of the document. • Preparing the reader for the contents, giving a simple framework on which to build understanding of the document and sometimes providing a roadmap to the content. • Gaining the reader's attention. • Providing some background information. • Indicating the authority under which the document is written. • In short, your introduction should provide your readers with whatever they need to prepare them to understand the information in your report or proposal. Main Body • Should be completed in accordance with the provided guidance in the assignment guide chapter above. Conclusion PURPOSE OF THE CONCLUSION • To memorialize your report or controlling idea in the reader's mind • To make a final impression upon the reader that your reasoning is good, your character is honourable, and your point or your position should be considered very carefully • To help you do this, here's a list of suggestions: RESTATEMENT • Restate the report in slightly different language • Restate the important points • Repeat the significance of the report EMPHASIS • Emphasize the heart of your report SUMMARY • Summarize your main points (but watch for dullness) Make sure that your conclusion is not too long. End with a bang (but don't cause an explosion) Referencing • Students need to know that TURNITIN does not check if the referencing has been applied correctly throughout the report. • Referencing is checked by the marker. Hence the level of Turnitin score does not indicate if referencing is OK in the report. • If Turnitin score is slightly higher than the upper limit along with a poor application of Harvard Referencing System, the report fails. Appendix • This section is OPTIONAL and might NOT be reviewed by the marker. • The appendix is supplemental content that is added near the end of the report. • The content in the appendix is seen as additional reference information that supports main material within the report. • The appendix may contain a list of the sources used, tables, diagrams, and a list of dates and so on. • It may also contain a list of additional works which may interest the reader to read further. • Raw data is often included in the appendix so that readers can verify the sources immediately. • Information that is not essential to explain your findings, but that supports your analysis (especially repetitive or lengthy information), validates your conclusions or pursues a related point should be placed in the appendix. • There is no limit to what can be placed in the appendix providing it is relevant and reference is made to it in the report. • The appendix is not a catch net for all the semi-interesting or related information you have gathered through your research for your report: the information included in the appendix must bear directly relate to the research problem or the report's purpose. It must be a useful tool for the reader. What's more • This academic work requires good level of data mining, summarizing and interpretation of the data. • Any irrelevant explanation or theoretical information will be classified as "unnecessary background information" and will affect the mark given negatively. • Students can deliver the information in a variety formats such as table, in a paragraph, chart, layout, smart art. • The font style is Times New Roman/Arial and the size is 11 for the normal texts • The font style is Times New Roman/Arial and the size is 12 for the headings and subheadings • Headings and subheadings should be numbered through the multilevel numbering option on the menu • 1.5 line space Cover page • COVER PAGE SHOULD NOT INCLUDE STUDENT NAME. • No executive summary or any part or the actual report should be delivered on the cover page. • Cover page should cover: Student ID Number Module Name and Module Code (Strategic Management PM 303) Report Title The name of the course of study Deadline Links between the Learning Outcomes and the assignment tasks